The Department of Community Development has called on all social care professionals to obtain a license to practice the profession. This comes as part of DCD role in regulating the social sector in the Emirates of Abu Dhabi in accordance with the Emirate’s laws.
Mr. Saeed Mubarak bin Amro, Manager of Social Control Division, at DCD, said: “Since its inception of licensing social care professionals and adoption of licensing standards, the department has organized several awareness workshops for social care service providers, to highlight the role played by the department in regulating and licensing workers in the field of social care.”
Saeed bin Amro added: “has also developed professional diplomas in cooperation with the UAE University to qualify and raise the efficiency of professionals in the social sector as part of the support plan. In addition to that, the department has organized competency tests available at multiple testing centers, both locally and globally. It has also automated licensing procedures to be submitted through the ‘Tamm’ platform, the official electronic platform for Abu Dhabi government services.”
He also added that the department's keenness to implement administrative fines will help organizing the provided social care services, and ensuring that they are of the highest quality, and are provided by professionals who are licensed in accordance with the approved standards. Further, it will ensure social care sector development based on professional ethics, high efficiency, and best professional practices.
Social care professions that are licensed by the department are of five main categories: social worker, psychotherapist, applied behavior analyst, psychologist, and counselor - each with their various specialties specified according to the approved standards.
The DCD began working on the project to license social care professionals at the end of 2020, to ensure proper coordination of those in social care professions and to monitor their commitment to providing the highest quality services, in accordance with legislations and in collaboration with the relevant authorities.